Hay-press.



No. 629,030. Patented luly l8, I899.

W. H. GRAY. HAY PRESS.

(Application filed. Mar. 18, 1899.)

('No Model.)

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lllniitnn firn'rns arn IVILIJIAM II. GRAY, OF SAN LEANDRO, CALIFORNIA.

HAY-PRESS.

srnerrxon'rxon forming part of Letters Patent 51%. 629,030, dated July 18, 1899.

Application filed March 18,1899.

T0 ctZZ whom it mcty concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. GRAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Leandro, county of Alameda, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Hay- Presses; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and'exact description of the same.

My invention relates to certain improvements in hay-presses of that class in which the follower is moved to press the hay by means of horse or other power transmitted through a chain-sheave and intermediate mechanism, so that while the horse attached to a central fulcrumed lever continues to travel around in a circle the mechanism will operate to compress the hay to the desired point, and the operating-lever will then be disengaged to allow the sheave and connected parts to return to their normalposition in readiness to again operate when the lever has reached the point of engagement with the op erative parts. Such a press is well illustrated in What is known as the Monarch Press, patented to Jacob Price July 22, 1884i,-No. 302,355.

The objects of my invention are to provide, first, an improved means for connecting the chain wheel or sheave with the vertical column through which the lever acts, and, secondly, to provide an air-cushion to relieve the shock when the parts are released and allowed to return in readiness for a new operation with a detachable steel block and strap.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of the column and connections. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on line .70 w of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a similar section taken above the clamp. Fig. 4 is a detail of the removable lug attached to the face of the chain-pulley.

Ais the vertical column suitably j ournaled and turnable, and B is the sweep or lever to which the'horse is attached. The lever is en gaged with the top of the column by a latch mechanism 0 and is freed therefrom when the column has been rotated to the desired point by a trip, which disengages the sweep and allows the column and disconnected parts to return to their normal position, while the horse or the power which is applied to rotate Serial no. 709,602. No model.)

the column continues its movement in one direction. This latch and. trip mechanism in construction and operation are substantially the same as the like parts fully disclosed in the said prior patent, No. 302,355, and they form no part of my invention, and I do not further describe them or illustrate the partsin detail.

In order to connect the chain-pulley D with the column A, lugs E are cast or otherwise formed at the lower part of the column, and corresponding lugs F, upon the hub of the chain-wheel, are fixed in such position that they will be engaged by the lugs of thecolumn. These lugs maybe of anysuitable number to properly divide the strain upon the wheel. In the present case I have shown three so disposed that they are simultaneously engaged by the lugs upon the column, and thus evenly divide the strain upon the wheel.

The lugs E and F are secured by bolts G passing through them and held by suitable nuts, so that the column and wheel are practically one structure for operation, but may be easily disengaged and separated when necessary.

The partial rotation of the chain-wheel when engaged by the sweep covers an arc of a circle sufficient to fully operate the follower of the press and properly compress the bale, and when the sweep at that point is disengaged from. the column the spring or elasticity of the compressed hay will return the chain-wheel to its normal position with considerable force. In order to relieve the shock of this return, I have shown an air-cushion device which is constructed as follows:

II is a cylinder of any suitable or desired length having a plunger fitting and moving closely within it and connected by a rod or pitman I with the outer end of a lever J. This lever forms a part of and extends outwardly from a ring or clamp J, which fits in an annular groove around the lower part of the column and just above the lugs which fix the sheave to the column. As here shown, the ring J is jointed at one side to open and allow it to be fitted or removed, and when in place. the end is secured by screw-bolts or equivalent fastenings. Upon the lever-arm J is pivoted a latch, the pivot-point of which is shown at K. The latch has two arms diso that when the wheel has been revolved to bring the lug L into line with the catch K it will carry the catch, and with it the lever J, around with the wheel. This acts through the pitman I to move the piston in the cylinder II to the outer end of its travel, and that end of the cylinderbeing perforated or open, so that the air can escape, no compression will take place in that direction. As soon as the piston reaches the end of its stroke the second arm K of the forked lever strikes a fixed lug or stop N, fixed to some stationary part of the mechanism or to the frame-timber T, a portion of which is shown in Fig. 3, and this acts to turn the lever about its pivot K until the latch portion K has been disengaged from the lug L of the pulley. This leaves the piston remaining at the outer end of the cylinder H, and as the clamp J is sufficiently loose upon the column to allow the latter to turn within it without farther advancing the parts just mentioned the sheave and column continue to turn until the disengagement of the sweep from the column allows the sheave and column to spring back, as previously described. When the sheave thus turns back, the lug L will force the latch K to one side and pass it, so that the latter can spring forward again and engage the lug, as shown in full lines in Fig. 3. At the same time another lug O, which is also fixed to the sheave but a short distance in advance of L, will strike against the nearest side of the arm J and force it backward, carrying the triplatch K with it, until the sheave has reached its initial point. This movement will have forced the piston forward against the aircushion formed in the forward end of the cylinder. The valves and the piston being then closed, the shock caused by the sudden return of the sheave will be relieved. This sudden return takes place after the pressing has been completed and the parts disengaged.

In order to easily renew the lug L, which is subject to much wear, it is made as an independent block fitting into a depression in the rim, as shown, with its upper end projecting sufficiently to engage the hook, as previously described. The lug is removably bolted in place by bolts 10 and may be removed at will.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In al1ay-prcss-actuating mechanism, the column, a sweep through which power is applied thereto, a pulley or sheave actuated by the column through which power is transmitted to the press and means for detachablysecuring the sheave to the column, consisting of lugs fixed to the column, corresponding lugs fixed to the hub or central portion of the sheave and contacting with the column-hubs, and bolts whereby they-are secured together.

2. In a hay-press-actuating mechanism, a vertical column, a sweep with means for engaging it with the head of the column through which power is intermittently applied to rotate said column, a sheave the central portion of which surrounds the base of the column having lugs equidistantly disposed around the central portion, correspondingly-disposed lugs projecting from the column and contacting with the lugs of the sheave, and bolts whereby they are detachably secured together.

3. In a mechanism for operating a hay-press, a vertically-disposed column, a sheave fixed to the base of the column and turnable therewith, a sweep with periodically-disengaging connections whereby a continuous power applied through the sweep acts intermittently to partially rotate the sheave and is then disengaged to allow the sheave to return to its normal position, an air-cushion cylinder and mechanism between it and the sheave whereby the return of the latter is cushioned and a lever-arm and hinged detachable strap surrounding the column.

4. In a hay-press-actuating mechanism a vertically-journaled column, a chain-driving sheave fixed thereto, mechanism by which the column and sheave are turned sufficiently to compress the bale, then disengaged and allowed to return to the normal position, an aircylinder with a plunger movable therein, a pitman or rod connected with said plunger, a band surrounding the column having aleverarm extendingoutwardly and connecting with the pitman, said band being centrallyhinged and bolt connections at the outer end whereby it is removably attached to the column.

5. In a hay-press-actuating mechanism of the character described, the rotary column and sheave, a band surrounding the column having a lever-arm projecting from one side, a cylinder having a plunger movable therein, a pitman or rod connecting the plunger with the outer end of the lever-arm, a springpressed latch pivoted upon the lever-arm and a lug projecting from the sheave adapted to engage the latch and move the lever-arm until the piston has reached the end of its outward stroke, said lug bein g detachably secured to the sheave.

6. In a hay-press-actuating mechanism of the character described, the column and sheave through which power is applied to rotate the sheave through a part of the circumference of a circle, a jointed removable band surrounding the column havingalever projecting therefrom, a cylinder with a plunger movable therein, a plunger-rod connected with the end of the lever, a spring-pressed latch pivoted to the lever-arm, a lu upon the sheave with which it normally engages and In witness whereof I have hereunto set my through which the forward movement of the hand.

sheave acts to force the plun 'er t0 the outer A T end of its stroke in the cylinaer, said lug be- WILLIAM GRAX' 5 ing an extension of a steel block fitting a cor- Witnesses: responding depression in the sleeve, and bolts G. M. FLINT,

by which it is detachably secured thereto. C. L. BEST. 

